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New DNC chair and the outgoing chair

My first reaction is god dammit. Dean won't be running for a second term as DNC chair. While this doesn't directly impact the White House, it will have a huge impact on the character of the national party and frees up a big gun for another spot, either in the Administration or a possible Senate run.

I'm not terribly worried about a backslide in the DNC, since I'm sure Obama will appoint someone who has their head on straight, but I have to say I'd really rather see Dean getting more respect from the party proper. Considering what he's managed he should be the Newt of the left.

Dean was the guy who implemented the 50-state strategy when he was under heavy pressure to abandon the red states to their fate. Basically, without Dean, kiss North Carolina, Indiana and Omaha goodbye, as well as the efforts in Montana and North Dakota and West Virginia and so on and so forth.

Gosling on November 2008

I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.

My first reaction is god dammit. Dean won't be running for a second term as DNC chair. While this doesn't directly impact the White House, it will have a huge impact on the character of the national party and frees up a big gun for another spot, either in the Administration or a possible Senate run.

I'm not terribly worried about a backslide in the DNC, since I'm sure Obama will appoint someone who has their head on straight, but I have to say I'd really rather see Dean getting more respect from the party proper. Considering what he's managed he should be the Newt of the left.

Maybe he'd rather maintain a low profile so that his actual public persona doesn't impact the elections he's trying to help win. Like it or not he wasn't a universally beloved figure so its possible that an ever present Dean could cost the DNC an election in some close races.

My first reaction is god dammit. Dean won't be running for a second term as DNC chair. While this doesn't directly impact the White House, it will have a huge impact on the character of the national party and frees up a big gun for another spot, either in the Administration or a possible Senate run.

I'm not terribly worried about a backslide in the DNC, since I'm sure Obama will appoint someone who has their head on straight, but I have to say I'd really rather see Dean getting more respect from the party proper. Considering what he's managed he should be the Newt of the left.

Maybe he'd rather maintain a low profile so that his actual public persona doesn't impact the elections he's trying to help win. Like it or not he wasn't a universally beloved figure so its possible that an ever present Dean could cost the DNC an election in some close races.

You're really grasping here. I sincerely doubt there is a statistically significant bloc of voters out there who would be perfectly willing to vote Dem on the down ticket except man that guy Dean is such a jerk.

Zimmydoom, Zimmydoom
Flew away in a balloon
Had sex with polar bears
While sitting in a reclining chair
Now there are Zim-Bear hybrids
Running around and clawing eyelids
Watch out, a Zim-Bear is about to have sex with yooooooou!

What has Dean managed to accomplish as DNC chair? I'm curious why anyone would be upset by his departure? He seemed to sit back on the sidelines and let momentum do its thing.

Man, Dean has been pretty damn visible as far as party chairs go. Can you name the current RNC chair? I know I had to go wiki it and I barely recognize the name. (Though it looks like the DNC chairs tend to be more visible than the RNC chairs in general.)

My first reaction is god dammit. Dean won't be running for a second term as DNC chair. While this doesn't directly impact the White House, it will have a huge impact on the character of the national party and frees up a big gun for another spot, either in the Administration or a possible Senate run.

I'm not terribly worried about a backslide in the DNC, since I'm sure Obama will appoint someone who has their head on straight, but I have to say I'd really rather see Dean getting more respect from the party proper. Considering what he's managed he should be the Newt of the left.

Maybe he'd rather maintain a low profile so that his actual public persona doesn't impact the elections he's trying to help win. Like it or not he wasn't a universally beloved figure so its possible that an ever present Dean could cost the DNC an election in some close races.

You're really grasping here. I sincerely doubt there is a statistically significant bloc of voters out there who would be perfectly willing to vote Dem on the down ticket except man that guy Dean is such a jerk.

It could have (possibly has had?) an effect on fundraising though. Remember Hillary and the DLC were laying the groundwork basically for their own parallel DNC during the primaries. I don't think that should be a reason for him to go anywhere, but if there's a lot of murmuring about Dean being that divisive, politically he might feel it's the right thing to do.

What has Dean managed to accomplish as DNC chair? I'm curious why anyone would be upset by his departure? He seemed to sit back on the sidelines and let momentum do its thing.

Man, Dean has been pretty damn visible as far as party chairs go. Can you name the current RNC chair? I know I had to go wiki it and I barely recognize the name. (Though it looks like the DNC chairs tend to be more visible than the RNC chairs in general.)

That's because anybody leading the dems has to be capable of herding cats.

The other possibility is Dean thinks Leahy is retiring in 2010 and is going for his Senate seat. Nate brought that possibility up yesterday. I like Leahy so I hope he's not, but Dean would be an acceptable replacement.

The other possibility is Dean thinks Leahy is retiring in 2010 and is going for his Senate seat. Nate brought that possibility up yesterday. I like Leahy so I hope he's not, but Dean would be an acceptable replacement.

Leahy looks like a less creepy James Carville.

I wonder what influence Obama will be able to bring to bear on who gets to replace Dean as DNC chair, and who he'd put his weight behind.

The other possibility is Dean thinks Leahy is retiring in 2010 and is going for his Senate seat. Nate brought that possibility up yesterday. I like Leahy so I hope he's not, but Dean would be an acceptable replacement.

Leahy looks like a less creepy James Carville.

I wonder what influence Obama will be able to bring to bear on who gets to replace Dean as DNC chair, and who he'd put his weight behind.

Leahy is also a huge fan of Batman and had a speaking cameo in The Dark Knight.

The other possibility is Dean thinks Leahy is retiring in 2010 and is going for his Senate seat. Nate brought that possibility up yesterday. I like Leahy so I hope he's not, but Dean would be an acceptable replacement.

Leahy looks like a less creepy James Carville.

I wonder what influence Obama will be able to bring to bear on who gets to replace Dean as DNC chair, and who he'd put his weight behind.

Leahy is also a huge fan of Batman and had a speaking cameo in The Dark Knight.

The man's been spotted driving his son's batmobile around the halls of the senate, if I remember the story in the Times correctly.

I wonder what influence Obama will be able to bring to bear on who gets to replace Dean as DNC chair, and who he'd put his weight behind.

According to Ambinder: Traditionally, Dean is allowed to pick his successor. But Obama's also allowed to pick the successor and/or decide what the DNC is going to be for the next several years. And Dean is basically going to defer to Obama.

Basically Obama has all the influence, since Dean's apparently not going to be throwing out any names, and nobody's going to be fighting Obama at this point.

The other possibility is Dean thinks Leahy is retiring in 2010 and is going for his Senate seat. Nate brought that possibility up yesterday. I like Leahy so I hope he's not, but Dean would be an acceptable replacement.

Leahy looks like a less creepy James Carville.

I wonder what influence Obama will be able to bring to bear on who gets to replace Dean as DNC chair, and who he'd put his weight behind.

Leahy is also a huge fan of Batman and had a speaking cameo in The Dark Knight.

The man's been spotted driving his son's batmobile around the halls of the senate, if I remember the story in the Times correctly.

Do you think Heath Ledger had fun pulling a (fake) knife on and manhandling a sitting Senator? That must've been entertaining.

Also, I've always thought Leahy looked kinda like a kindlier Dick Cheney. I met him in 2005, I was in Leahy's front office getting a signature on some correspondence. I was just sitting in one of the reception chairs, minding my own business, when Leahy comes up to me and says "Hello." I look up and I think, "Oh my God Dick Cheney is here and he's going to tell me to go fuck myself."

The other possibility is Dean thinks Leahy is retiring in 2010 and is going for his Senate seat. Nate brought that possibility up yesterday. I like Leahy so I hope he's not, but Dean would be an acceptable replacement.

Leahy looks like a less creepy James Carville.

I wonder what influence Obama will be able to bring to bear on who gets to replace Dean as DNC chair, and who he'd put his weight behind.

Leahy is also a huge fan of Batman and had a speaking cameo in The Dark Knight.

The man's been spotted driving his son's batmobile around the halls of the senate, if I remember the story in the Times correctly.

Do you think Heath Ledger had fun pulling a (fake) knife on and manhandling a sitting Senator? That must've been entertaining.

Also, I've always thought Leahy looked kinda like a kindlier Dick Cheney. I met him in 2005, I was in Leahy's front office getting a signature on some correspondence. I was just sitting in one of the reception chairs, minding my own business, when Leahy comes up to me and says "Hello." I look up and I think, "Oh my God Dick Cheney is here and he's going to tell me to go fuck myself."

I mean, I guess they're both old white dudes. I mean, I can see some resemblance, but I think you can pick out Cheney because he always has that sneer on his face.

And on the Rahm/Biden thing, I think everyone could guess that Rahm is the bad cop in that pair.

Leahy was the one Cheney told to "Go fuck yourself." This similarity in looks is disturbing.

And, jeez, people, Obama isn't going to put Al Gore as the DNC chair. Didn't you get the memo? Its the Black House, so my only guess for DNC chair is William Jefferson or maybe Mos Def.

More seriously, the DNC chair and RNC chairs usually don't get that high profile names for them. Its usually some longtime Party hack, or maybe a sitting Senator who is the nominal chair with a longtime party hack as the actual head. (See Mel Martinez's short run as the head of the RNC or Chris Dodd's chairmanship back in the early 90s.)

Except with the Obama White House and the new DNC being very much linked together and Obama in fact basically controlling DNC operations, they are linked so a new thread was not entirely required. I also kind of think an American Politics sub-forum is almost appropriate at this point.

Anyway, directly on-topic: David Plouffe is the obvious choice if he wants the job.

Anyway, directly on-topic: David Plouffe is the obvious choice if he wants the job.

Isn't Plouffe publicity shy as hell and disinclined to move his family? Not to say I don't think he's at least potentially a good choice, but I thought personal reasons ruled out his coming to Washington.

Anyway, directly on-topic: David Plouffe is the obvious choice if he wants the job.

Isn't Plouffe publicity shy as hell and disinclined to move his family? Not to say I don't think he's at least potentially a good choice, but I thought personal reasons ruled out his coming to Washington.

Well, depending on the situation, the DNC chair doesn't really need to be a hugely public figure. Dean did because he was waging an internal battle to get the 50 state strategy through. When you're winning it's less of a public figure (quick, name an RNC chair from the last eight years). If he was willing to move his family, Plouffe would be an excellent choice.

Anyway, directly on-topic: David Plouffe is the obvious choice if he wants the job.

Isn't Plouffe publicity shy as hell and disinclined to move his family? Not to say I don't think he's at least potentially a good choice, but I thought personal reasons ruled out his coming to Washington.

Well, depending on the situation, the DNC chair doesn't really need to be a hugely public figure. Dean did because he was waging an internal battle to get the 50 state strategy through. When you're winning it's less of a public figure (quick, name an RNC chair from the last eight years). If he was willing to move his family, Plouffe would be an excellent choice.

It at the very least has potential. I thought of him being an Adviser to the President like Axelrod, with a lot of access and quiet influence but completely below radar, but now that you've put it out there I really like the idea of DNC chair as a sort of campaign manager in chief.

The chair being a sort of celebrity-politician is a relatively strange thing, in the history of the DNC. Dean leaves a great legacy and I wouldn't be at all surprised if his replacement was someone pulled up from one of the more successful statewide operations. The chair is going to be a less prestigious position with a democratically controlled government, too.

Didn't the Democratic HQ get moved to Chicago? I don't recall reading anything about them moving it back.

That was only for the election, and they kept the DC office. Everything basically just got swallowed into Obama's operation out of Michigan Avenue to ensure it ran smoothly/had easier communications.

Does the chair actually have to be in DC all that often, though? It seems like he could work out of Chicago and most of the meetings take place at conventions or whatever in random parts of the country anyway. Hell, what does the DNC even do between elections aside from ask for donations and make the primary process more convoluted?

Didn't the Democratic HQ get moved to Chicago? I don't recall reading anything about them moving it back.

That was only for the election, and they kept the DC office. Everything basically just got swallowed into Obama's operation out of Michigan Avenue to ensure it ran smoothly/had easier communications.

Does the chair actually have to be in DC all that often, though? It seems like he could work out of Chicago and most of the meetings take place at conventions or whatever in random parts of the country anyway. Hell, what does the DNC even do between elections aside from ask for donations and make the primary process more convoluted?

That's what a crappy DNC chairperson would do

A good DNC chair would split their time between keeping their ear to the ground in the next round of races (and to a lesser extent the round after), building party infrastructure, recruiting candidates and general talent, providing central/neutral leadership for the party at large, and fundraising/primary management.

I think actually HHS would be a good fit for Dean. It's a very different job than DNC chair, and I think it explains why he'd want to do something closer to his calling (he's actually an MD) than being a political operative. I'm unsure of what specifically he did in Vermont, but I remember back in 2004 some hullabaloo about his health care plan.

I think actually HHS would be a good fit for Dean. It's a very different job than DNC chair, and I think it explains why he'd want to do something closer to his calling (he's actually an MD) than being a political operative. I'm unsure of what specifically he did in Vermont, but I remember back in 2004 some hullabaloo about his health care plan.

Dr. Dynasaur. He did some great things for health care here, mostly for children and pregnant women (which is fine, as they're probably the most needy). He also did balance the state budget, and lowered income taxes, but raised property taxes by a nasty amount. They're at the point that we won't even buy a house until we move out of state, because we couldn't afford the taxes (a $100,000 house would be around $2500 in taxes yearly).

Don't get me wrong, he's a crazy bastard, but he overall did a decent job up here. Douglas is doing a great job, as well, and I'm glad he won governorship again this year, especially with Symington being such an asshat.